The Winners of the Lino Favini Cup and 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series Crowned in Luino

October 9, 2016 – Luino, Italy – Melges 24 European Sailing Series has concluded with a total of eight races sailed during the final event of Lino Favini Cup considered also as the Swiss Open Championship and the final event for the Melges 24 European and Italian Series. Swiss EFG team with a tandem of Fracassoli-Ferraglia has been crowned as the event winner and Swiss Champion, however Andrea Racchelli and his team of Altea (ITA) gets to his hold the perpetual trophy of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series while Miles Quinton’s Gill Race Team (GBR) succeeded in the Corinthian ranking of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series.

Lino Favini Cup

Lino Favini Cup

Coppa Lino Favini, event dedicated to the Melges 24 class and organised by the Associazione Velica Alto Verbano, has been showing the leadership of the EFG team since the beginning of the event. On the third day of the event EFG secured it’s margin to twelve points ahead of Andrea Pozzi’s Bombarda (ITA) with Giulio Desiderato as tactician winning the final race of the event and jumped to the second position followed by a strong FGF Sailing Team (HUN) with Robert Bakoczy in helm, two points behind. See the full results

EFG team in LuinoEFG team (SUI) of Carlo Fracassoli helming, Matteo Ferraglia calling the tactics and Givoanni Ferrari, Gianluca Perego and Stefano Laghi have been crowned as the event winner and Swiss Champion - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

In Corinthian division, where the racing has been extremely close, Niccolo Bertola-Giacomo Fossati’s Taki 4 (ITA) managed to replace the broken bowsprit and continue their consistent racing securing the victory of the Lino Favini Cup being fifth in overall ranking. Only one point behind ended the event Miles Quinton’s Gill Race Team (GBR) with Geoff Carveth in helm and then two points behind completed the podium Michael Tarabochia’s White Room (GER) with Luis Tarabochia in helm. See Corinthian results

Taki 4 in LuinoThe best Corinthian team at Lino Favini Cup - Taki 4 (ITA) - Niccolo Bertola helming, Giacomo Fossati as tactician, Giovanni Bannetta, Matteo de Chiara and Marco Zammarchi - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series 

The 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series has concluded also on the Lake Maggiore (recording 6 events, 48 races, 8 discards) with 2015 Melges 24 vice World champion Andrea Racchelli and his team on Altea (ITA) as the winner and a new holder of the series’ perpetual trophy donated to the series by the former Chairman of IM24CA, Riccardo Simoneschi. Participating at all six events through the season and being on the lead a majority of the series, Miles Quinton’s Gill Race Team (GBR) got the silver medals of the series however the owner of the bronze medals was left open until some important clarification in the series rules. 

Andrea RacchelliAndrea Racchelli of Altea (ITA)  - Overall winner of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

  1. ALTEA ITA735 – 201 points - Andrea Racchelli, Gaudenzio Bonini, Giorgio De Mari, Alberto Verna, Anne-Soizic
  2. GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 - 243 points - Miles Quinton with Geoff Carveth helming, Craig Burlton, Catherine Alton, Adam Brushett, Toby Litton, Christopher Fisher, Joshua Wilce 

Gill Race Team GBRMiles Quinton's Gill Race Team with Geoff Carveth helming - Corinthian winner of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series and the second best in overall ranking - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

The second position in overall ranking was more than enough for Gill Race Team also to secure the victory of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series in the Corinthian division. Michael Tarabochia’s White Room (GER) with Luis Tarabochia helming, also taking part of all series’ events, got well deserved silver medals. Not missing any of the events the podium was completed by the 2015 Corinthian ranking winner, Oleg Dyvinets’ team on Marusia (UKR). See ranking results for the Corinthian division  

  1. GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 - 142 points - Miles Quinton with Geoff Carveth helming, Craig Burlton, Catherine Alton, Adam Brushett, Toby Litton, Christopher Fisher, Joshua Wilce  
  2. WHITE ROOM GER677 – 180 points - Michael Tarabochia with Luis Tarabochia helming, Sebastian Bühler, Marco Tarabochia, Dominik Müller 
  3. MARUSIA UKR819 - 471 points - Oleg Dyvinets, Nikita Dyvinets, Alexey Akynshyn, Vadym Zinnatullin

White Room GERMichael Tarabochia's White Room (GER) with Luis Tarabochia helming - the second Corinthian team of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

Marusia UKRNot missing any of the events the Corinthian podium of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series was completed by the 2015 Corinthian ranking winner, Oleg Dyvinets’ team on Marusia (UKR) - photo IM24CA/Piret Salmistu

Photos of the event by IM24CA/Piret Salmistu  
Day 1  ;  Day 2  ;  Prizegiving

Lino Favini Cup, also considered as the Swiss Open Championship, was organised by the Associazione Velica Alto Verbano (AVAV) in collaboration with International Melges 24 Class and Melges 24 Italian Class Associations.

IM24CA would like to take this opportunity and say a huge THANK YOU to the AVAV team and all the sponsors-supporters in Luino and all the other hosting clubs during the season organizing the events of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series! It's been a great season and we will see you in 2017!

2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series included altogether six events: first in Portoroz, Slovenia in April, second on Lake Attersee, Austria in June; third in Kiel, Germany in June; fourth in Riva del Garda, Italy in July and the most important competition of the European sailing season – Marinepool Melges 24 European Championship in Hyeres in September and the final event - Lino Favini Cup in Luino. Altogether 88 teams from 19 nations, including 64 Corinthian teams have got the points to the Melges 24 European Sailing Series during 2016 season.

Now the Melges 24 international class is looking forward to the main event of the year, the Melges 24 World Championship in Miami that will take place from November 26th to December 3rd. 

Stay tuned for further updates on the 2017 season and further information about the Melges 24 European Sailing Series please visit www.melges24.com/europeansailingseries